NO. 1/1 CLEMSON (1-0, 1-0 ACC) vs. NO. 12/11 TEXAS A&M (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7 • 3:30 P.M. ET • MEMORIAL STADIUM (81,500) • CLEMSON, S.C.
TELEVISION: ABC (Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe)
RADIO: Clemson Tigers Network (Don Munson, Tajh Boyd, Tim Bourret, Reggie Merriweather)
**Sirius XM 81** RADIO: Touchdown Radio (Brett Dolan, Gino Torretta)
Clemson enters the second contest of the 2019 season retaining it’s number one ranking after a resounding victory over ACC rival Georgia Tech by a score of 52-14. The Aggies of Texas A&M come into Clemson highly ranked themselves and moving upwards after their home opening win versus Texas State. Both teams come in with the ACC vs SEC moniker flying high above this game as fans from each school will point to conference affiliation. But the bottom line here is this is two great institutions with football history at each school that is the heart of the pride coming off each campus. Both schools share a rich history as land grant schools and strong ties to the military. The two head coaches are quite familiar with each other, now having faced each other nine times as Jimbo Fischer prior spent 7 years at FSU, now this marks the second time he has led the Aggies into battle versus the familiar Tigers from the ACC.
Clemson comes into this contest marked an -18 point favorite to win the game. But if last year’s game is any barometer as to the way this one may pan out… then throw out the Vegas Odds and batten down the hatches for a sixty minute battle inside the confines of Memorial Stadium. The game last year at College Station was without a doubt one of the best games of the 2018 College Football season. The Tigers won and hard fought game that saw the ACC team take a lead in the first half and hold on to it until the end as they stopped a 2 point conversion in the waning moments to preserve a 28-26 victory over the Aggies in front of a stunned sold out Kyle Field.
With a lot of the same players returning on both sides for this years contest. Both teams lost a lot to the draft and graduation. But each team returns starting QB’s as A&M bring back Kellen Mond who had the game of his life against the Tigers as tried to rally the Ags back. Clemson on the other hand started and finished last years game with Kelly Bryant but Trevor Lawrence made big difference in the game with his first play touchdown pass to Tee Higgins that stunned the crowd in College Station. Now the starter after a cinderella season last year Trevor looks to keep winning. Lawrence is undefeated since taking over the reigns of the offense in last years Syracuse contest.
Both teams come into the 2019 season with super high expectations with each program having hit heights no one expected, in Clemson’s case a National Title and in A&M and Fischer in year one a “transition” year the Aggies represented themselves beyond critics predictions for them in the pre-season. But again if last years contest is any idea of what to expect on Saturday inside “Death Valley” then hold on to your seats it’s gonna be an exciting roller coaster of emotions kinda day.
With Aggie fans known for traveling well, the Clemson nation sits ready to welcome our friends from the Lone Star State as they were excellent host’ last year as many that traveled to last year’s contest at College Station can attest to. Clemson fans are well known for their own brand of Hospitality and this weekend should become one great weekend for two of College Football’s best fanbases get to know each other all over again. With a 3:30 Kickoff on National TV with ABC Sports and their crew here to broadcast this contest to a national audience … everyone expects the Tigers and Aggies to provide a great game.
Now let’s talk Football…
Preview:
#1 Clemson comes in a lined -18 point favorite at home. Last season the Tigers were 2nd ranked as they walked into Kyle Field with the same point spread and walked out with a hang on for your life type win as they stopped a 2 point conversion with less than a minute left to preserve a 2 point win. This game won’t feature a Clemson ‘QB Rotation’ it will feature Lawrence and Mond as starters and Clemson and continuity that was not there due to the duelling QB’s .. has that continuity in place now with Trevor comfortable with all the tools he has to work with and more familiar. Mond will have the Death Valley crowd on top of him and the offense from the first snap. And this Clemson defense will let us all know exactly where they stand at the end of these 60 minutes versus a very potent Aggie offense.
When Clemson Has the Ball:
Look for the Tigers to try and take the top off the defense and get the A&M defense to be on their heels so they can then release Travis Etienne on the Aggies and get themselves in a groove of run/pass keeping the athletic Aggie Defense and Co Ordinator Mike Elko guessing. It will take one pass over the top of that defense to Higgins or Ross to force the A&M defense to go to a 2 safety high look, and that becomes advantage Clemson in the run game. The Aggies return just 4 defensive starters off the team that won nine games in 2018. This is a lot of holes to plug coming into play the #1 team in the Nation. The A&M coaches have recruited well. But the depth here will show up late in the game as the Tigers pull away late as they wear down the Aggies by the middle of the 3rd quarter and start to put some distance between themselves and A&M on the scoreboard.
When A&M Has the Ball:
If you saw last year’s game you had to be in awe of the moxy shown by Kellen Mond and his band of wide outs as they seemed to pull rabbits out their helmets with relative ease throughout the second half of the 2018 contest. Clemson shut down their run game and forced the young signal caller to put A&M’s chances on his arm talent and decision making. Well folks the young man almost pulled off a miracle win. And it would have been that with balls managing to find targets between 3/4 defenders and or deflecting into wideouts hands. This year the Clemson defense has a back seven and secondary that comes in with a year of experience under their belts. And if Mond can find that same “magic” that he found on that hot wet and steamy night in Texas last year then this game will be more interesting than myself and the other pundits believe. Clemson will do things to confuse Mond in coverage and force mistakes and will have Isaiah Simmons spying the athletic QB in case he’s flushed from the pocket. Give Brent Venables a year to scout and plan and plot and I will give you a game plan that will stifle this A&M team. Now they will score but it will be sporadically over the game and not a back and forth contest as the Tiger Defense will finally stimey this talented A&M Squad.
Special Teams:
Punting: Texas A&M Punter broke the NCAA record last season averaging over 50 yards a punt for the season, this is the best punter I have seen since Ray Guy himself. With Clemson and Will Spiers you have a player that has yet to live up to the potential he showed up on campus with. This his senior campaign the Tigers need Spiers to up his game and be more consistent. Clemson loses in this head to head .
Place Kicking: BT Potter did himself a lot of good building his confidence with the 52 yarder he got vs GT. That particular field goal showcased Potters powerful leg and if that kick is a primer to the rest of his season… the Sophomore from Rock Hill could have a special season. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. But with his Kickoff return rate practically at 0%.. So far so good with BT Potter and place kicking, A&M brings in Sophomore Seth Small whowas 20/28 with a long of 52 in 2018. As of now this one is a Draw.
Texas A&M Players to watch:
QB Kellen Mond
WR Kendall Rogers
DE Michael Clemons
Prediction:
#1 Clemson 37 #12 Texas A&M 24
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